Beyond ethics: corporate spirituality

By Fr Des Dwyer SJ

This article was published in Living Ethics: issue 21 spring 1995

The common complaints of people today vary from lack of meaning in their lives, to disillusionment with marriage and relationships, to vague depression.

More and more people are asking questions about the meaning of their work and life, the quality of their relationships, and the impact of their work on their inner self and spirit. I am currently working with a group of Managing Directors who are exploring issues around spirituality in the workplace.

These people acknowledge that we all have our individual spiritual journey to make, but are aware that their companies are also on a corporate spiritual journey. Companies come into being to provide a service that is needed by the community. However, the growth and vitality of the company will depend on the quality of relationships and issues to do with: how people are treated; how decisions are made; the level of commitment of the employee which flows from their sense of purpose and meaning of their work and the quality of the company culture – is it life giving or life threatening? Is it in harmony with the spirit?

The question is, “How do we get in touch with the source of energy (spirit) within the company?”. In responding to this question, the first step is to be in touch with the company's story. How did the company come into being and what have been the key moments in its history and development. This story holds great power and energy. It is from this that goals, objectives and procedures have been generated. When things are not going well these need to be revisited and often reworked in the light of the original vision and purpose. For it is from the story that the meaning and purpose of the company are to be found. It is this that unlocks people's energy and commitment.

Not all of the company's history will be positive. Much can be learned by exploring the negative history to ensure the same mistakes are not repeated. A sense of history clarifies a company's identity and its primary task. It helps to protect a company from diversifying into areas where it has neither competence nor expertise. It also challenges people to ask whether or not each decision is consistent with the primary task.

Spirituality has important implications for decision-making. A manager in touch with spirit will involve all who have an important contribution to make to the decision. Managers will listen to them and not only take into account the financial, legal and ethical dimensions of the decision, but also be attentive to their inner reactions when making decisions. Does this decision lead to inner peace or disturbance? What is the nature of the disturbance?

Without this listening to the spirit within, a critical element in decision-making is overlooked. Here we are in the realm of discernment that acknowledges that though what is decided may be good in itself, it is not necessarily good for this company.